Rear sight blade change M-15

[m1gunner]

My ex-LEO M15 came with a mangled rear sight blade.

After reading how to change it, and getting the new factory sight blade kit, i figured this would be a cinch to change, right?

So I started by turning the windage screw till i heard the "snap". Great, I thought, now just push the blade over and back the screw out.

But, the screw was still intact. What had snapped was the threaded area on the bottom of the sight blade. Now there was very little resistance on the windage screw, not enough to break it.

I tried drilling the screw. It is VERY hard, approaching file hardness. I didn't have any diamond bits, but was able to at least cut the flared end off the screw. Then wedged the nut enough to break the screw head off. The sight blade came out in pieces.

What should have been a 10 minute job turned into a 2 hour job with many trips to the toolbox, lots of bad words, and much frustration.

Murphy's Law is still in effect!

 

[SW CQB 45]

I have the same luck.

everything I touch turns to poop (OK the other poop word)

that happened to me one time and I dont remember how I got it out but it was not pretty.

after all the frustration....at least you got it out!

 

[tomcatt51]

I just drill the flared end of the screw (in the center of the nut) with a 3/32 drill bit. The nut will then screw off and if you use loctite (yes, it's Heresy) you can re-use the screw and nut.

 

[m1gunner]

I went with the WO sight blade. Got a chance to shoot it, and all the struggling was worth it. I really like the sight picture with the WO.

It is my only smith with the white outline sight, I may do this again....